A new report published Friday shores up rumors that Apple is working on its own electric car. German business magazine Manager Magazin  (via 9to5Mac) claims Apple started talks with BMW back in 2014 to use components from the German automaker’s i3 electric car.

Talks reportedly progressed to the point where Apple CEO Tim Cook, along with other Apple executives, visited BMW’s factory in Leipzig, Germany to see how the i3 is manufactured. Although talks ultimately led nowhere, Apple and BMW supposedly agreed to compare notes on their progress from time to time.

The report does not provide details of what a partnership on an electric car between Apple and BMW may have involved, but suggests Apple was interested in using the carbon fiber body of the i3 for its own project.

The BMW i3 is a small electric passenger vehicle with a body manufactured from strong, but lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The i3 has a range of around 150 miles per charge when used with an optional range extender in the form of a gas-powered, two-cylinder engine. Running on battery power alone, the i3 has a maximum range of around 81 miles.

This marks the second round of rumors linking Apple and BMW in talks involving the BMW i3. In March, German automotive magazine Auto Motor und Sport reported that the two companies were discussing Apple’s use of i3 components for its own electric car.

A BMW spokesman later denied these claims to Reuters, saying that “We are in regular talks with companies from the IT and telecommunications sector, including Apple, concerning topics like connected vehicles. Developing or building a car is not a topic of these discussions.”

Apple, as is the company’s custom, declined to offer comment on rumor and speculation.

Friday’s report is the latest in a slew of rumors claiming Apple is secretly working on its own electric car. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Doug Betts, who until recently served as global head of product and service quality at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles joined Apple in July. The same report claimed that Apple hired Paul Furgale, a highly-regarded autonomous vehicle researcher from Switzerland, earlier this year.

In addition, Apple reportedly has hundreds of employees working on its electric car project, has poached automotive experts and intends to bring an Apple electric car to market by 2020.

Image credit: Autoviva, Flickr, CC BY 2.0